I am pretty much to the point where it would be wise to start to curtail my wine purchases. The ‘16 PdB Crus are my first and quite possibly only purchase for the year. I opened a Montestefano tonight and plan to try others in the coming weeks. Please post a note if you pop one.
Montestefano
Really opened up over the course of the evening. Floral and pleasantly volatile perfume nose. Good bit of orange peel. Black cherry fruit. Little black walnut in the background. Meaty / chunky mouthfeel without any heaviness. Good grippy structure with both tannin and acidity. Very long finish. More elegant and refined than I remember the 2013 being at this stage. Lots to like here.
I’m annoyed that it was 50% more than the last vintage, but it seems about worth it. I expect this will really be a treat someday.
Finished the last of the Montestefano last night, which was under argon. One thing that really stood out coming back to it was a brambly quality to the fruit on the nose — not unlike an elegant vintage of a Ridge Lytton Springs. The more I came back to it, the more I liked it.
On to the Ovello. Couple of things jump out in comparison — first, there’s some heat on the nose. And, there’s a bit of VA. I can handle both, especially a touch of VA to lift the nose — but, in this case, there’s more heat than I like and the VA seems to just pile on to the heat. Rather than backing it up with powerful fruit, it has that angular profile you can get with the Ovello and the combination is, for me, odd. On the nose, there’s a medicinal quality and some eucalyptus. And, that medicinal quality carries over in the wines flavor profile. If you can handle an abstract reference, there’s a Sean Thackery meets Nebbiolo quality to it.
In defense of the wine, it is likely just off the boat and into my hands — so, it may need to settle. But, that was definitely not the case with Montestefano. I’ll follow this over a couple of days. But, this is a good notch below the Montestefano (which really is terrific and worth seeking out).
I found someone who had what I wanted at $80, so I just grabbed them. I am sure I could have found them for less if I hunted around, but I got the wines I wanted to get in the quantities I wanted, so I thought it reasonable. I was used to paying $45-55 a bottle.
Opened the Montefico tonight. I tasted it next to the Ovello, which oddly dropped much of the heat and VA from last night.
The Montefico has a less effusive nose than the Montestefano, but with some of the same black walnut note and dark cherry fruit. Some orange peel and white pepper. Understated but very complex. Mouth-coating, chaulky tannins are more present here. I love the crunch of the fruit. Good beginning, middle, and end. Very long. Really impressive. I like it about the same as the Montestefano and more than the Ovello, which was no slouch tonight. Very much worth seeking out.
Tons of fruit on the nose. Cranberry, cherry, cherry pit minerality. Some orange rind and a little rose. Very Nebbiolo. It’s a big mouthful of fruit, then quite a wall of tannins. Like the balance of crunchy fruit, tannic grip and acidity. Midway between the lushness of Montestefano and the comparatively angular Ovello. An iron fist in a velvet glove kind of wine. Very long, as has been the case with all of the ‘16 Riservas. Terrific stuff and definitely worth the $80 I paid. Might be my favorite so far. Tough call.
I’ll take another look tomorrow and taste it next to the Rabaja if I don’t hurt myself golfing in the frigid cold.
Powerful and beautiful nose — something musk-like, some licorice, some alcohol — a Cointreau note and lots of cherry fruit. The fruit is riper here with less crunch to it. The alcohol is getting high enough that it seems to wash the fruit out a bit. The tannins are astringent at this stage and the finish is shorter than the other Riservas I’ve tried above. When I first smelled it, I thought this is going to be the head-and-shoulders winner of the PdB 2016s… the nose is exotic. But, the palate doesn’t live up to the nose for me. This is early going. If it fleshes out, as one would expect, it could be amazing.
Second night with it (was under argon) impression is the same. I like the nose a lot more than the palate. Had a glass next to Asili and preferred the freshness and length of the Asili.
Great juice, but I prefer the Asili, Montefico, and Montestefano, each by a smidge. They’re all so good. I’m looking forward to seeing them evolve. I don’t plan on touching them for at least five years, but it was nice to have an early sample as an educational experience and point of comparison.
Personal favorite - Asili. Best nose - Rabaja. Best fruit - Montestefano. But, no clear standout, IMO. They’re all outstanding.
